The packaging industry typically uses automated machines to form and assemble containers, such as corrugated cardboard boxes. For example, automated die cut machines are used to cut or punch-out blanks from sheets of corrugated cardboard. In addition, automated folder/gluer machines are used to fold and glue the blanks to form flattened (knocked-down) containers, and to erect the containers and glue the bottom flaps. Automated machines are also used to insert partitioning walls and remove/insert products (such as wine bottles) into the open-ended containers. Finally, automated machines are used to glue the top flaps of the filled containers for shipment and storage prior to retail sale.
The automated machines utilized by the packaging industry are typically optimized for containers formed with walls and flaps having predetermined sizes and shapes (hereafter "standard containers"). While such automated machines can be modified to handle non-standard containers, such modification is typically expensive, thereby increasing the overall cost of the contained products. However, product manufacturers occasionally encounter situations in which the use of non-standard containers is unavoidable. One such situation involves the export of wine from the U.S. to Europe.
Modern wine production utilizes highly automated processes during which wine is bottled, for example, in 750 ml (milliliter) bottles, and distributed throughout the world using standard containers (e.g., corrugated cardboard boxes having specific dimensions). Wine producers often utilize machines to automatically fill and cork their wine in 750 ml wine bottles, and to automatically insert the bottles into containers for distribution.
In the U.S., automated machines are used to bottle wine in 750 ml bottles in standard twelve bottle containers. Typically, these twelve bottle containers are cut, folded and glued by a container manufacturer, and shipped to a glass house in a predetermined flattened (knocked-down) state. At the glass house, the flattened twelve bottle containers are automatically erected, the bottom flaps of the container are glued and partition walls inserted that divide the container into twelve compartments in a three-by-four arrangement. Twelve empty bottles are then inserted into each container, and then the containers are transported from the glass house to a wine producer. The wine producer utilizes automated machines to remove the empty bottles from the containers, and to fill, seal and label the bottles. The filled bottles are then automatically re-inserted into the container, and then the top flaps of the containers are automatically closed and glued.
A problem arises when U.S. wine producers wish to export their wine to Europe because the standard U.S. container for 750 ml wine bottles is different from that used in European. As mentioned above, U.S. glass houses and wine producers utilize automated machinery specifically configured to erect and fill U.S. standard containers that hold twelve bottles in a three-by-four arrangement. In Europe, a "standard" container holds six bottles, and therefore cannot be readily processed by the automated machines used in the U.S. Consequently, when U.S. wine producers wish to export their wine to Europe, either the automated machinery used to erect the containers and insert bottles must be modified to handle six-bottle containers, or an additional production step is required to remove the 750 ml bottles from the twelve-bottle containers, and to repackage the bottles in six-bottle containers. Modification is particularly expensive because it must be implemented in the automated machinery of the container manufacturer, the glass house and the wine producer. On the other hand, removing and repackaging wine bottles in six-bottle containers is time consuming, and typically results in the disposal of the twelve-bottle containers.
What is needed is a dual package container that has dimensions and flaps that are consistent with standard automated machinery, and can be readily separated into two discrete packages. More specifically, what is needed is a twelve-bottle standard container for 750 ml wine bottles that can be readily separated into two six-bottle packages for distribution in Europe.